Accepted Scientific Name: Mammillaria perezdelarosae Bravo & Scheinvar
Cact. Suc. Mex. 30(4): 76 (1985).
Mammillaria bombycina subs. perezdelarosae (Mammillaria perezdelarosae) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Similar to the related Mammillaria bombycina, it differs in its darker centrals and denser, pectinately arranged radials that completely conceal the epidermis, and in its paler pink flowers.
Origin and Habitat: Mexico, Jalisco, Aguascalientes (Zacatecas ?)
Altitude: 2000-2400 metres above sea level.
Habitat and ecology: Grows on steep rocks together with Jatropha dioica, Opuntia leucotricha, Opuntia durangensis, Opuntia streptacantha, Dodonaea viscosa
Synonyms:
See all synonyms of Mammillaria perezdelarosae
Description: Mammillaria perezdelarosaeSN|9007]]SN|11894]] is one of the more beautiful Mammillaria, with smallish stems densely covered with curious bicoloured spines. It combines clean, glassy white radial spines with hooked dark-brown centrals. At first it stay solitary but will offsets with time. Occasionally, plants will offset when quite young, and dense clumps of spherical bodies will result. Growth is slow to moderate, and the best plants are grown somewhat slowly to conserve the dense spination. It is closely related to Mammillaria bombycinaSN|11894]]SN|9007]].
Stem: Globular depressed, becoming columnar with age, bright dark green 3,5-5 cm in diameter, or more, 5-7 cm tall (up to 15 cm tall in cultivation). Usually without latex.
Tubercles: Conical with rounded tips. Axil with bristles.
Radial spines:3 0-60, pectinately arranged, needle- to hair-like, white with yellowish bases, 2-3,5 mm long.
Central spines: 1 or 2, ascending, dark red, 11-14 mm long, lowermost one hooked.
Flowers: Greenish white, cream to light pink, with a slightly darker midstripe are up to 20 mm long and 2,5 cm in diameter.
Blooming season: Flowers come in late winter.
Fruits: Red.
Seeds: Brownish black.
Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Mammillaria bombycina group
- Mammillaria bombycina Quehl: Solitary or clustering cactus, some clones cluster aggressively and can form 50-90 cm wide mounds. It combines clean, glassy white radial spines with hooked reddish-brown centrals.This plant will produce several complete circles of contrasting light carmine flowers.
- Mammillaria bombycina f. albicentralis hort.: Has evenly white or creamy-white hooked central spines, (tips never reddish-brown). Cultivated form.
- Mammillaria bombycina f. flavispina hort.: Has evenly creamy-yellow or yellow hooked central spines, (tips never reddish-brown). Cultivated form.
- Mammillaria bombycina f. monstruosa green clone hort.: It is a strange monstrous cactus cultivar that forms very rubbery and squishy green and purple glob.
- Mammillaria bombycina f. monstruosa white clone hort.: It cluster aggressively and forms a gorgeous white mounds with a fluffy appearance.
- Mammillaria bombycina cv. Split Spine: This very rare cultivar has unique "Split spines". This is an exclusive feature never seen in other cacti.
- Mammillaria perezdelarosae Bravo & Scheinvar: Differs from Mammillaria bombycina in its darker centrals and denser, pectinately arranged radials that completely conceal the epidermis, and in its paler pink flowers.
- Mammillaria perezdelarosae subs. andersoniana W.A.Fitz Maur. & B.Fitz Maur.: distinguishable for the smaller size, slower growth and straight central spines (not hooked). It is believed to be one of the most beautiful Mammillaria. Distribution: Northeast, Zacatecas, Municipio Via Garcia
- Mammillaria perezdelarosae f. cristata hort.: crested form with stems densely covered with glassy white radial spines with hooked dark-brown centrals. It is one of the more beautiful crested Mammillaria.
Notes: Mammillaria bombycinaSN|9007]]SN|9007]] is closely related , however they are basically different plants. They are vaguely similar for spines but the bombycina forms readily large clumps while the perezdelarosae offsets very slowly over the years and usually with no more than 2-3 offsets per plant. Both species are of easy culture and have consistently clean spination whether grown indoors or out.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Edward Anderson “The Cactus family” Timber Press, Incorporated, 2001
2) James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey "The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors and Under Glass" Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug/2011
3) David R Hunt; Nigel P Taylor; Graham Charles; International Cactaceae Systematics Group. "The New Cactus Lexicon" dh books, 2006
4) John Pilbeam “Mammillaria: the cactus file handbook” Cirio Publishing Services Ltd Dec/30,/1999
Mammillaria bombycina subs. perezdelarosae (Mammillaria perezdelarosae) Photo by: Andrea B. Mammillaria bombycina subs. perezdelarosae (Mammillaria perezdelarosae) Photo by: Agócs György Mammillaria bombycina subs. perezdelarosae (Mammillaria perezdelarosae) Photo by: Cactus Art Mammillaria bombycina subs. perezdelarosae (Mammillaria perezdelarosae) Photo by: Cactus Art Mammillaria bombycina subs. perezdelarosae (Mammillaria perezdelarosae) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Mammillaria bombycina subs. perezdelarosae (Mammillaria perezdelarosae) Photo by: Cactus Art Mammillaria bombycina subs. perezdelarosae (Mammillaria perezdelarosae) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Mammillaria bombycina subs. perezdelarosae (Mammillaria perezdelarosae) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli Cultivation and Propagation: Need regular water but do not water again until dry, as it is specially sensitive to over watering; plants should be allowed to become crowded in their pot. Keep in shallow pot. Also, it is a species that is dormant in the winter and require very little water (maybe even none) during the cold months. Frost Tolerance: Light frost protection required. Minimum of 5ºC for safe growing (but hardy up to -5°C or less.) Sun Exposure: High levels of light are needed to flower and for good spine development. Can be sunburned if moved from shade/greenhouse into full sun too quickly. During the spring it may be able to take full sun until the heat arrives at the end of spring. In an area that has hot afternoon sun, it may be able to take full morning sun, but requires afternoon shade or afternoon light shade. If grown correctly, it will reward the grower with generous displays of purple flowers.
Propagation: Seeds (usually) or offsets that appear at the base; leave them attached to form a cluster, or wait until they are 1/3 the size of the parent and then detach and plant.
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